Independence, Iowa's Buchanan County seat, has 2 Medicare-certified nursing homes with approximately 109 beds. Families have solid options to choose from.

Independence vs. Iowa: Near State Average

Independence nursing homes perform near the state average on key quality metrics. The city's average CMS rating of 3.00 stars is close to Iowa's statewide average of 3.06 stars.

0 of 2 facilities earn a B grade or better. Families should still research carefully, as quality varies by facility.

Understanding Our Trust Score System

The Trust Score is a 0-100 rating calculated from CMS's official nursing home database. The score combines five data categories:

• Health Inspection Results — Recent deficiencies, their severity, and patterns over time
• Staffing Levels — RN hours, total nursing hours, and weekend staffing
• Quality Measures — Clinical outcomes like falls, pressure ulcers, and rehospitalizations
• Penalties — Fines, payment denials, and enforcement actions
• Complaints — Substantiated complaints and their severity

In Independence, 0 facilities score a B grade or better, indicating they meet quality benchmarks across these categories. We recommend families prioritize these facilities and carefully research any facility rated C or below before visiting.

Staffing: Meeting Standards in Independence

Staffing levels are among the most important predictors of nursing home quality. Research consistently shows that facilities with more nursing staff—especially registered nurses—have better outcomes for residents.

Independence facilities average 0.85 RN hours per resident day, which meets the CMS-recommended threshold of 0.75 hours. The typical Independence resident receives approximately 51 minutes of RN attention daily—compared to the 45 minutes experts recommend.

1 Independence facilities exceed CMS staffing recommendations. Families prioritizing staffing should look for facilities with the "Top Staffing" badge and ask specifically about RN hours during facility visits.

Ownership: An All For-Profit Market

Independence has no non-profit nursing homes—all 1 facility with reported ownership data are for-profit operations. 1 of 2 facility is chain-owned, meaning these facilities are part of larger corporate systems rather than independently operated.

Research suggests non-profit facilities often have higher staffing levels and fewer deficiencies on average. The absence of non-profit options in Independence may be worth noting. Families seeking non-profit care should consider facilities in surrounding areas.

Ownership type alone does not guarantee quality. Several for-profit facilities in Independence perform well. Families should evaluate each facility individually using inspection data, staffing levels, and recent deficiency reports rather than ownership type alone.

Nearby Alternatives Worth Considering

Families may also want to consider nearby Iowa cities for additional options. The following Iowa cities offer multiple nursing home options:

• Des Moines — 12 facilities
• Cedar Rapids — 9 facilities
• Dubuque — 8 facilities
• Davenport — 7 facilities
• Sioux City — 6 facilities
• Marion — 6 facilities